Memento
by ejzah
Summary: Anatoli Kirkin has a special wedding surprise for Kensi and Deeks. Based off of a Tumblr post by psyched1328. Possible spoiler for upcoming episode, 'Till Death do us Part'.


A/N: Based off a post by psyched1328 on Tumblr who kindly gifted me her idea. Thanks psyched!

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Memento

"Are you in a good mood?" Kensi whispered to Deeks as they slowly danced at the edge of the dance floor. Deeks smiled, feeling unbelievably content. He'd had just champagne enough to increase the giddy feeling running through him. He had absolutely no desire to get drunk enough to forget a moment of this day so he'd stopped after his second glass.

"I'm in an awesome mood," he answered, leisurely spinning them around in a half-circle. "Why?"

"Because Anatoli Kirkin is headed in our direction." Kensi gestured with her head to the left side of the room and Deeks groaned under his breath.

"Crap, I was hoping he'd left." Chuckling, Kensi craned her neck to see over his shoulder as they circled back the other way.

"Somehow I don't think he's leaving anytime soon; he looks like a man on a mission," she told him with a sympathetic smile.

"Kensi, Marty, congratulations!" Kirkin said as he reached them and they reluctantly came to a stop. "The ceremony was absolutely beautiful and my dear, you look lovely." Surprising both of them, he grabbed one of Kensi's hand between both of his and gave it an enthusiastic squeeze. For a second, Deeks was sure she was about to drop-kick Kirkin, but then she smiled uncomfortably.

"Well, um, thank you. That's very sweet," she responded diplomatically and Kirkin practically beamed.

"As much fun as I'm having, I'm afraid I must leave soon," he told them both ruefully, adding, "Jesse misses me."

"That's certainly a shame," Deeks said and Kirkin nodded in agreement.

"Yes it is. But I wanted to make sure I gave you your wedding present before I left. You ran off so quickly before I didn't have a chance to mention it." He added the last part reproachfully. Beside him, Kensi's body shook with silent laughter.

"You didn't have to–"

"Oh, Marty, I insist. Come, you should open it somewhere a little more private," Kirkin interrupted and before either of them could protest, he was ushering them into the small foyer that led out to the back of the building. He gestured to a large white box that sat on the table in middle of the room. It was secured by an ornate, gray bow that was surprisingly tasteful.

Kirkin handed the box to Deeks, who took it hesitantly. He was fairly certain Kirkin didn't have a desire to harm him or Kensi, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Gingerly, he yanked at one end of the bow until it unraveled.

"Here goes nothing," he muttered. Despite his misgivings, he couldn't help but wonder what Kirkin could possibly think was a suitable gift for them. He figured it wasn't anything legal if Kirkin's secretive behavior was anything to go by.

Kensi leaned on his shoulder as he lifted the lid and Kirkin stood a foot away with a pleased, expectant expression. A thin sheet of white tissue paper was on top and Deeks pulled it off with great trepidation. Whatever he'd been expecting, the charcoal portrait he revealed was not it.

"What the…?" he muttered as he stared down at the drawing of himself posed provocatively by what looked suspiciously like the edge of a pool.

"Oh. My. God," Kensi said in a low voice, sounding just as stunned as he was.

"Why am I naked?" Deeks' lip curled as he took in each carefully detailed feature with growing horror. At the very bottom, Kirkin has signed his name in bold letters.

"And why are you leaning against a wall?"

"You really think that's the salient point here?" he asked Kensi, who merely shrugged.

"Kirkin, what the hell is this?" Deeks finally managed, turning to the other man who hadn't seemed to notice the less than positive reception his gift was receiving.

"It is my gift to you. A keepsake of a sort, so you will never forget me," he replied in a perfectly reasonable voice.

"Yeah, that's definitely never, ever gonna happen. This will be burned into my brain forever. Why–why am I naked?" he couldn't help asking.

"It is how I first met you after all and it will always remain my most vivid memory of you," Kirkin replied reasonably. Deeks sank a hand into his hair and blew out a short breath.

"Fantastic," he muttered.

"There is another." Kirkin helpfully lifted the first canvas out, to reveal a second portrait of Deeks lying on a bed. If possible it was even more graphic and revealed parts of his body he was 90% certain Kirkin had never seen.

"I didn't think it could possibly get worse," he said quietly.

"You have to admit the artist did an excellent job," Kensi said, sounding vaguely appreciative and Deeks turned to look at her incredulously.

"Why are you still looking?"

"I can't stop."

"I'm afraid I had to rely on my imagination for certain aspects. I hope I estimated correctly," Kirkin explained fretfully.

"Oh, your imagination is surprisingly accurate," Kensi muttered, her eyes seemingly glued to the second portrait with a mixture of awe and possibly revulsion.

"Kensi, don't encourage him!" Deeks nudged her shoulder which seemed to bring her senses back. She shuddered once and then hastily shoved both canvases back into the box before dropping the tissue paper on top.

"Thank you so much for your gift it was so thoughtful," she told Kirkin with a wide, completely insincere smile.

"So thoughtful," Deeks repeated which made Kirkin practically glow with pleasure.

"It was nothing. You know I would do anything for Marty. Anything."

"Haha, yeah. Well, would you look at the time! I'm sure there's somewhere we're supposed to be…" Deeks tucked the box beneath one arm and grabbed Kensi's arm and started slowly backing away.

"Marty," Kirkin said in a slightly desperate voice, reaching out to touch his sleeve. He managed to stop himself, just before he made contact, with a regretful expression. "Should you ever reconsider, my offer always stands."

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind," Deeks said, certain he would never, ever take him up on that offer.

"Good. I really must be going now, Jesse will be in a tizzy without me." Kirkin winked at Deeks and then turned away as he pulled his phone from his pocket.

"Somebody should tell Jesse that he's got competition. Poor guy has no idea," Kensi said, watching Kirkin walk off.

"Are you going to break the news to him?" Deeks asked with a smirk. Personally, he would be fine with never seeing Kirkin or his fiancé ever again and he's was pretty sure Kensi felt the same.

"Oh hell no," she said emphatically. Then smirking, she grabbed Deeks' hand and started tugging him back towards the ballroom.

"So where do you think we should hang the portraits?"

"These are going straight in the fire."

"You can't burn wedding presents!"

"Well, I'm certainly not hanging them anywhere in our house."

"We'll decided after the honeymoon," Kensi said as they reentered the ballroom. She spun in a quick circle, releasing Deeks hand and giving him a playful look. The room was bouncing with a particularly terrible version of the chicken dance which Kensi immediately ran to join.

"I love you," Deeks called after her. "But I'm still burning the pictures!"

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A/N: Hope this lived up to expectation. Happy wedding thoughts everyone!


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